Highway sign



Feb. 10, 1942. KIECKER 2,272,322

HIGHWAY SIGN Filed April 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l a 6 u. g Inventor Lev/A A. rf/fCKEE,

A fiorney Feb. 10, 1942. I KIECKER I 2,272,322

HIGHWAY SIGN Filed April 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In ventor flew/v A. KIECKEB,

By @Mm A ttorney Patented Feb. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in highway signs and the like, and the primary object of the invention is to combine in such a sign easily understood means indicating (a) the route number and direction of a numbered highway, (b) the name and direction from the location of the sign of adjacent towns or cities, the compass directions from the location of the sign, (d) the road number of a junction at which the sign may be located, (e) a stop signal or the like, and (f) the names or numbers of streets and avenues when adapted to city or town street use.

Important objects and advantages of myinvention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown preferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings: a

Figure l is a face view of a highway sign in accordance with the present invention employing substantially right angularly related arms.

Figure 2 is a back or reverse side view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an edge elevational View.

Figure 4 is a face view of a modified form which includes an upper vertical arm having a laterally directed portion.

Figure 5 is a vertical reverse side view of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a face view of an adaptation of the invention in which one of the horizontal arms has a vertically projecting portion.

Figure 7 is a back or reverse side view of Figure 6.

The sign of the present invention is intended and actually does take the place of several road signs such as are employed today, the functions of all of these signs being combined in the one sign, and additional functions being added, so that the one sign not only provides the traveler with the information furnished by the conventional sign. but in, addition provides easily read indications of the compass directions.

Referring in detail to the drawings and first to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 through 3, the numeral 5 generally designates the sign which may comprise a suitable standard 6 rising to a suitable height above the road or street (not shown) and having secured by suitable attaching means 1 to the upper part thereof the substantially square preferably metal plate 8 which has its corners cut off as indicated by the numeral 9 substantially at right angles to each other. The lowermost one of these corners merges into a depending arm. III while the uppermost corner has rising therefrom an upper arm II. The left hand corner has a horizontal arm l2, while the remaining right hand comer has a horizontal arm I 3. The lower end of the depending arm H1 is squared as indicated by the numeral [4, while the outer ends of the remaining arms are pointed, as indicated by the numer-. als l5, for pointing efiect.

The form of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 is substantially similar to the first described form except that the upper arm Ha has a laterally directed foreshortened or sub-arm l l on its upper end which is pointed at its freeend as indicated'by the numeral l5.

The'embodiment of the. invention shown in Figures 6 and 7 is substantially similar to the first described embodiment except that one of the lateral arms l3b has on its free .end an up wardly projecting foreshortened or sub-arm I3 which is pointed'at its upper end as indicated by the numeral l5.

On the face side of the plate portion 8 'of'each embodiment of the invention the legend Stop, designated by the numeral It in the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, is formed in an easily visible manner.

With the reader of the sign facing south along a highway running from north to south, the faces of the upper and lower arms I l and II] are seen to have a similar coloring contrasting with the coloring of the remainder'of the sign. On the face of the lower arm I0 is the junction number ll indicating the number of the route or highway at the next junction of the highway on which the reader is traveling, while the upper arm has on the face thereof the number I8 identifying the route or highway on which the reader is then traveling, the direction of travel beingindicated by the two vertical arms. The southerly direction is indicated by the character IS. The left hand arm I 2 necessarily points in an easterly direction and has on the face thereof the compass direction character 20 and the route number 2| of the highway running substantially at right angles to the highway along which the reader of the sign is facing. correspondingly, the right hand horizontal arm l3 has a compass direction character, 22 thereon indicating that the arm is pointing in a westerly direction and this arm also has thereon the route number 23 indicating that the highway running at right angles" to that along which the reader isffacing runs in this Westerly direction.

The back or reverse side of the sign, shown in Figure 2, seen only when the reader is facing in a northerly direction, has on the reverse face of the upper arm H the compass direction character 24 indicating that the reader is facing in a northerly direction along the highway, and below this is the number 25 also identifying the route or highway on which the reader is then traveling.

On the reverse face of the horizontal arm I3 is the compass direction character 26 indicating that this arm is pointing in a westerly direction, and a route number 21', similar to the character 2! on the front face of the arm, indicating the route number of the highway which is running substantially at right angles to that along which the reader is facing.

The remaining horizontal arm I2 has on the reverse face thereof the compass direction charactor 28 indicating that this arm is pointing in an easterly direction, and also a route member 25 designating the highway along which this arm is pointing.

In addition to the foregoing, designation of a town to be reached by travel in an easterly direction along the intersecting highway made by having the half of the central plate 8 adjacent the easterly pointing arm l2 and the reverse face of the arm I2 of the same distinctive color as indicated by the numeral 30 and by placing the name 3| of the designated town or city on the colored portion of the plate, so as to plainly indicate to the reader that there is an established relation between that town and the direction in which the corresponding arm is pointing.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, and with reference first to the front of the sign exhibited in Figure 4, the face of the east pointing arm [2a and the lower arm Illa may be of the same color, said color contrasting with the remainder of the face of the sign to indicate first class routes, for instance, or some other similarly useful information and to indicate the direction to be taken to pursue such pref- 'e'rable route. In this embodiment the upper arm Ha with its lateral sub-arm II is capable of indirection similar to the sign of Figure-1 whose face is to be read while the reader is facing in a southerly direction, the direction indications on the horizontal arms being correspondingly similar. The reverse or back side of the sign shown in Figure 5, contains the name 3Ia of a town in conjunction with coloring 30a of the corresponding portion of the plate 8a and the relating arm l2a to indicate the direction to be taken by the reader along the intersecting highway to reach the mentioned town.-

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7 differs from that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 principally by the possession of the arm I3?) with its upwardly projecting subarm IS. The face of the sub-arm i3 contains compass direction characters 33 to indicate that the main or principal route makes a left turn in a southerly direction.

Various combinations of the indicating feal9, is

turcs set forth in the three embodiments may be employed according to requirements to serve the purposes of the invention.

Although I have shown and described herein preferred embodiments of the invention it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto ex cept as required by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A highway sign of the character described, said sign comprising a standard to be located at a junction of two highways, a vertical plate secured to said standard, upper and lower vertical arms porjecting from the upper and lower edges of said plate, left and right horizontal arms projecting from the left and right-hand edges of said plate, a junction symbol on the face of the lower arm designating the next junction to be reached when traveling in the direction in which the vertical arms are pointing, a route number on the face of each of said left and right arms, a route number identifying the highway on which the sign is positioned on the face of said upper arm, a town symbol on a face of one lateral half of said plate, and common designating means on said half and the related horizontal arm to indicate the direction to be taken on the intersecting highway to reach the town.

2. A highway sign of the character described, said sign comprising a standard to be located at a junction of two highways, a vertical plate secured to said standard, upper and lower relatively long vertical arms projecting from the upper and lower edges of said plate, left and right relatively long horizontal arms projecting from the left and right-hand edges of said plate, a junction symbol on the face of the lower arm designating the next junction to be reached when traveling in the direction in which the vertical arms are pointing, a highway identifying symbol on the face of each of said left and right arms, a route number identifying the highway on which the sign is positioned on the face of said upper arm, a town symbol on a face of one lateral half of said plate, common designating means on said half and the related vertical arm to point the direction to he traveled to reach the town.

3. A highway sign of the character described, said sign comprising a standard to be located at a junction of two highways, a vertical plate secured to said standard, upper and lower vertical arms projecting from the upper and lower edges of said plate, left and right horizontal arms projecting from the left and right-hand edges of said plate, a junction symbol on the face of the lower arm designating the next junction to be reached when traveling in the direction in which the vertical arms are pointing, a highway identifying symbol on the face of each of said left and right arms, a route number identifying the highway on which the sign is positioned on the face of said upper arm, a town symbol on the one lateral half of said plate, common designating means on a face of said half and the related horizontal arm to indicate the direction to be taken on the intersecting highway to reach the town, and further similar designating means and further symbols on the back of and functionally related to the symbols on the faces of said plate and said vertical and horizontal arms.

ERVIN A. KIECKER. 

